Kolkata: Cyclone on Met radar, rain likely before Puja

KOLKATA: The partially overcast sky on Tuesday was completely covered in dark clouds by evening, leading to sharp spells of shower across the city. Met office said there could be such spells of rain on Wednesday as well. Though the clouds might disappear from the Kolkata sky by Thursday, a more intensified weather system, which was brewing over the Andaman Sea and might deepen into a cyclone, was likely to bring in more rain from Monday, the Met office said.
“A low-pressure belt may form over the Andaman Sea by Monday. This system is likely to intensify into a depression or a cyclone. In that case, we could receive more rain next week, starting from Monday,” said G K Das, director (weather) at Regional Meteorological Centre, Kolkata. With Durja Puja organisers now working on pandals, they are keeping their fingers crossed.
The cyclone was, however, not likely to hit the Bengal coast directly but could affect Odisha and Andhra coasts, said the official, adding that parts of south Bengal, including Kolkata, would feel its impact “in the form of rain”. “We are keeping a close watch on the development over the Andaman Sea. We will get a clearer picture of whether the low-pressure system will intensify into a cyclone or not by Friday. Even if the system grows into a cyclone, it will not cause any adverse impact or damage on Bengal, apart from beinging in rain,” added Das.
At present, there is a cyclonic circulation over Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coast. A trough in the upper air due to this circulation, which is extending up to Bihar across parts of south Bengal, has been infusing moisture in abundance. Rains clouds pushed up by this moisture had caused the showers on Tuesday. “We expect more clouds on Wednesday that will bring a few more spells of rain. But chances of rainfall activities are less from Thursday, when the temperature will also rise slightly,” said Das.
While the maximum temperature on Tuesday was 32.5 degrees Celsius—considered normal—the minimum temperature at 26.2 degrees was a notch above normal. Both the day and night temperature are likely to hover around 32 and 26 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
Apart from Kolkata, parts of neighbouring Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas and Hooghly and other areas in north and south Bengal also witnessed frequent showers. According to Met office, the southwest monsoon is yet to withdraw from Bengal.